Can Food Stamps Do More to Improve Food Choices? An Economic Perspective—Overview: Can Food Stamps Do More To Improve Food Choices?

The increased food purchasing power offered by the Food Stamp Program can promote food security and improve the overall economic well-being of low-income households. Now, as Americans struggle with obesity and other diet-related health problems, there is interest in whether the program can be more effective in encouraging participants to make healthy food choices. ERS has compiled economic research to provide decisionmakers with information on the likely effects of various proposed strategies for improving the food choices of food stamp program participants. This overview summarizes the findings, which are presented in more detail in a series of individual briefs.